


resolution

by fisheyechain



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, How Do I Tag, Hurt/Comfort, I really don't know how to tag, Maybe - Freeform, Misunderstandings, Sort Of, Tsundere Lee Minho | Lee Know, but i think it's still readable so give it a read, chan shows up for a bit, even though this is platonic content, i thought the 2min tag needed more content, read the summary that's what this is about, this was an impulse write
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:35:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28416954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fisheyechain/pseuds/fisheyechain
Summary: Minho has a few realizations about his relationship with Seungmin:First, that they'd both forgotten somewhere along the way that their divorced couple concept really was all for show.Second, that Seungmin took everything Minho said to heart.And third, that he truly, truly thought that Minho held such disdain for him.How could he have let things get to this point?
Relationships: Kim Seungmin & Lee Minho | Lee Know
Comments: 12
Kudos: 123





	resolution

**Author's Note:**

> this is a big big mess hahahahahhaa
> 
> guess who abandoned wips for four separate fic fests in order to indulge a random stroke of inspiration??? only to lose inspiration literally the very next day??? that's right, it's me
> 
> but i didn't want to abandon it, since 2min, so i cleaned it up a bit 
> 
> accept my offering *grovels*

Minho breathed in. Breathed out. Tried to avoid looking at Seungmin, because he  _ knew _ the expression Seungmin was wearing and he  _ knew  _ that looking at him would only hurt the both of them. Besides, it wasn't like he had to look at Seungmin to see his expression in his mind's eye. An uneasy emotion sloshed around in his gut.

What should he call it? Guilt? But guilt wasn't quite right, he thought, because they were both equally not-quite-at-fault here, both equally definitely-at-fault. They'd exchanged a simple verbal spar -  _ much like always _ , he thought, resentful but resigned - and yet, even with the understanding that they weren't  _ meant  _ to get along, barbs had been flung and they'd dug under his skin, pulling painfully. And he'd had a few realizations.

First, that they'd both forgotten somewhere along the way that their divorced couple concept really was all for show, that it was their way of exchanging affection. It had been a long time since stinging words had elicited any genuine positive response from either of them, Minho thought.

Second - and this wasn't a realization as much as it was a remembrance - that Seungmin took everything he said to heart. Hadn't Seungmin said, on multiple occasions, that he listened carefully to the words of people around him? Maybe, as Minho was beginning to realize now, Seungmin had listened intently to his words, as he did, and absorbed all the poison imbibed in them. It followed naturally, then, that Seungmin spoke with the expectation that others did the same, and Minho allowed himself a brief pang of hurt at knowing the insults were genuine.

And third, that Seungmin truly, truly thought that Minho held such disdain for him. That expression on his face? That was hurt, masked in the typical Seungmin fashion, masked to look like annoyance or even just plain apathy. Minho was a fool, wasn't he? They all knew - Seungmin felt far too much, not far too little. And even though he was the person hurting Seungmin, Minho had to blink away tears and force back the tightening of his throat. How could he have let things get to this point?

How could he have let Seungmin talk with him, work with him,  _ live  _ with him, under the impression that he hated him?

\--

That night, Minho pulled the curtains tight around his bed and thought. Now that he was aware, it was irresponsible - not to mention cruel - of him to let this misconception continue. It would be difficult, as all things involving Seungmin naturally were - but it didn't need to be anymore, he reminded himself. Satisfied with his resolution, he let himself drift off to sleep.

Not long after he'd begun to doze off, Seungmin made his way into the room, climbing carefully up the ladder to the top bunk. Despite his best efforts, Minho woke up.

Well. No time like the present to solve problems. Proactiveness, and all that.

After bracing himself, he pulled open his curtains, squinting at the boy frozen in place on his bunk in the dark room. "Yah. Kim Seungmin, you woke me up."

And  _ oh _ . That's what he'd been afraid of. Because even in the darkness, he could see Seungmin's eyes narrowing, his lips pressing together tightly in a defiant (and defensive) stare. 

"Sorry, I tried to be quiet," Seungmin shot back before Minho could ask him to talk about things. "I'm in bed now, aren't I? Go on, go back to sleep." And with that, he pulled his blanket around him and turned to face the wall. Sighing, Minho closed his curtains again and did the same.

The squeaks of the bed frame as Seungmin tossed and turned in his tiny bunk kept Minho up, but he endured it for the sake of keeping the peace between them. Besides, it's not like he would've fallen asleep anyway, not with the troubled thoughts running through his head.

_ Tomorrow _ , Minho promised himself. He fell into a restless sleep.

\--

Tired Minho had made a grave mistake when planning to resolve the situation. He'd forgotten that they were idols, and as such, they had (quite demanding) jobs. So as he moved from schedule to schedule, he could do nothing but think, frustrated, that  _ Kim Seungmin is right there and we can't talk right now _ . 

The day whirled by in a blur of practice, interviews, and staring intently and fruitlessly at the back of Seungmin's head. Thankfully, the divorced couple concept was not brought up that day - Minho didn't think he could bear to hear words like "Lee Know hyung and I are a messy duo" come out of Seungmin's mouth one more time, not when he knew that Seungmin believed them to be true.

And Seungmin noticed that Minho hadn't prodded at him. Of course he would. Seungmin, who was more observant than most people gave him credit for, noticed that Minho's behavior was out of the norm - and Minho's heart hurt upon realizing  _ again _ that Seungmin expected nothing but disdain from him.

Minho could see Seungmin studying him from the corner of his eye.  _ Stop it _ , he begged silently.  _ It's not me you should be worried about. I'm the one worried about you _ . Still, Seungmin kept his distance, under the blasted impression that Minho wouldn't appreciate his concern, and instead muttered something to Chan. Chan looked at Minho, before looking at Seungmin and replying with something that made Seungmin's shoulders relax - but Seungmin's concern didn't leave his face.

As they drove back from their final schedule for the day (at 3 in the morning, no less), Seungmin tapped him on the shoulder. Hesitantly, as if he was gathering his courage, he asked, "Do you want to talk about it at home?"

"...Alright," Minho replied after pausing to think. No doubt Seungmin wanted to assuage his poorly concealed worry, and while the worry was misplaced, it was an opportunity for him to make things right again.  _ God. Even when he thinks I hate him, he worries about me. This kid, really. _ "Alright, we'll talk at home."

\--

"...So." They sat, side by side, on Minho's bed. He swung his feet and stared at the wall to avoid looking into Seungmin's eyes. 

"So," Seungmin replied. It was strangely comforting to hear that he sounded just as unsure as Minho felt. "What's going on?"

"I…" Minho played with his hands, only to let them fall into his lap. "I owe you an apology."

He mustered up the courage to turn his head and meet Seungmin's eyes. The boy blinked, taken aback. "...Sure?"

"Seungmin- Seungmin, I...'' God, there was no easy way around this, was there? Time to be straightforward, then. "You know I love you, right?" Minho's ears burned and he looked back at his hands, unable to hold Seungmin's gaze. Wow, his hands really were tiny, weren't they?  _ What am I doing? _

"Hyung, it's not funny." Seungmin's voice broke on the last syllable and Minho looked up, startled, to see his face crumpling. "Don't use these things as jokes."

_ Great job, Lee Minho. You just made it even worse. _

"I'm not joking- I'm  _ not! _ " he protested. "Kim Seungmin, why do you think I'm such a bad person?"

"You're only a bad person around  _ me _ ," Seungmin said, voice tight. "We've always bickered, but it's been different for a while. I don't know what I did to make you hate me." 

"I don't hate you, you dumb kid."

"You sure act like you do." 

"It's an  _ act _ ," he forced out, almost spat. "It's an  _ act _ , and I wanted to say  _ sorry,  _ okay? Those things I say to you - I don't mean them, get it?" He was met with silence.

Until Seungmin sniffed, and tears spilled from his eyes - out of relief? anger? disbelief? Minho couldn't tell - and he whacked Minho's arms weakly, several times. "How can I know what to believe, hyung? I don't understand you at all. I don't," he repeated quietly, almost talking to himself, "understand you at all."

Minho rubbed his arms where Seungmin had hit him. His chest was tight, and his ears were still burning - but he decided to set aside his pride. He held his arms out towards Seungmin, silently asking for a hug.

Seungmin eyed him, distrustful. Still, he made no move to push Minho away when Minho embraced him. (He made no move to return the hug, either.)

It was much easier when they weren't face to face. "Hyung is sorry, Seungmin," he murmured, stroking Seungmin's back. "Hyung is really sorry he made you think he hated you. Hyung loves you, okay? Don't forget that."

Slowly, Seungmin relaxed in his embrace. After a long silence, he raised his arms and hugged back.

\--

Minho woke up to a warm weight nearly crushing his left side.  _ Right. We must've fallen asleep at some point _ . He wiggled his way out from under Seungmin's arm and turned to look at his sleeping dongsaeng.

Seungmin's face was peaceful in the morning light, wiped free of any worry. His lips curved slightly in a contented smile, and Minho committed the image to memory before it had a chance to disappear. Like this, he looked almost angelic.

Before long, Seungmin blinked his eyes open blearily, yawning. He looked at Minho and - Minho's breath caught - a radiant smile spread across his face. Helpless at the sight, Minho grinned back at him.

"Good morning, hyung."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it haha. If you did, feel free to leave a comment!
> 
> Also come talk to me on my twitter [@honeymus_tard](https://twitter.com/honeymus_tard)


End file.
